"Eight?"
When I said I had been taught by eight masters, Elder Biseon looked at me with disbelief, as if he had lost his words.
Since I had demonstrated the martial arts of several masters, it would be hard for him to deny it.
At this level, it would be more than enough to prove that I had received teachings from Dohwaseon.
Or so I thought.
— Pat!
Suddenly, Elder Biseon darted toward me with a rapid movement.
When he swung his staff, the gust it created caused chaos inside the grand hall.
— Whoooosh! Baaaam!
'Huh?'
But contrary to the visible effects, the force behind the staff was significantly weaker than before.
I responded by using a palm technique to block it, and as expected—
— Papapapak!
Despite the appearance, he wasn't applying any real strength.
Just as I was feeling puzzled, Elder Biseon's voice rang in my ear through transmission:
[The Emperor is watching. Match my tempo for now.]
He was telling me to pretend to be fighting.
So I also began performing flashy but weakened techniques that looked powerful from the outside but were essentially feints.
— Papapapapak!
To onlookers, it would appear as an intense battle.
As we exchanged moves, Elder Biseon sent another voice transmission:
[That technique... is that the embodiment-transformation art of Nam Jin-in?]
'!?'
I couldn't hide my surprise.
This was the first time someone had seen through my transformation art and realized I wasn't in my true form.
[How did you know?]
[Though I am bound to this place by oath, I have cultivated the Dao for hundreds of years. How could I not sense the foreign nature of your spiritual energy?]
[Ahh…]
From this, I was able to make one guess.
Though none of my masters had mentioned it, Elder Biseon also seemed to be a Daoist aiming for transcendence.
And compared to my masters, he wasn't lacking in any way.
— Papapapapak!
As his staff created dozens of afterimages, he sent another voice transmission.
[Did you really receive teachings from all eight true masters?]
[Yes, I did.]
[Huh... How could such a decision be made...]
It seemed Elder Biseon had no idea about the circumstances behind it.
Since I didn't know who he really was, I asked him directly:
[There are good reasons why my masters made that decision. But since the matter of Dohwaseon is not something to casually speak of, please reveal your identity, Elder.]
Upon my request, Elder Biseon frowned slightly and hesitated, then sent a voice transmission:
[I too once held one of the pillars of Dohwaseon, like the other true masters.]
[A pillar? Then you…]
[I cultivated the Dao alongside those who taught you.]
Then… that means he is also from Dohwaseon?
With such level of Dao and ability, he could indeed be placed alongside the eight masters.
But someone of that level wouldn't be able to leave Dohwaseon due to the binding oath.
Sensing my confusion, Elder Biseon explained:
[When the original oath was made, the Imperial Palace had certain conditions.]
[Conditions?]
[They were not satisfied with Daoists simply leaving worldly affairs. No, they didn't trust us.]
[Then you, Elder?]
[So among the Ten Immortals, one was chosen to remain and, as per the Imperial demand, vowed to protect the royal family for generations from Daoists and martial artists alike.]
Ahh…
This was the first time I learned of such details.
I had thought it ended with the masters simply withdrawing from worldly affairs.
But what was that about the Ten Immortals (십선)?
Earlier, he had asked me whose disciple I was among the Nine True Ones, but now he says one remained from among ten?
[Ten...]
I was about to ask this when Elder Biseon spoke first through voice transmission:
[Now it's your turn to explain.]
His eyes were full of suspicion, and I couldn't avoid it anymore.
So I explained the situation regarding Dohwaseon.
[Do you happen to know someone named Ja Gyeongjeong?]
[Ja Gyeongjeong? Who is that?]
He didn't know Ja Gyeongjeong?
Well, considering how long Ja Gyeongjeong was taught, it's possible he never met him.
So I revealed that Ja Gyeongjeong was a disciple of Master Sunyangja, the Sword Immortal.
[You're saying Brother Sunyangja actually took a disciple?]
He was visibly shocked.
I wondered why he was so surprised, and then—
[Hahaha, to think that rowdy brother of mine took a disciple! This old age truly brings surprises.]
[However, he was expelled.]
[What? Expelled?]
[Well… more like he quit on his own.]
I briefly explained Ja Gyeongjeong's ideology and what he tried to do.
Hearing this, Elder Biseon's expression changed from surprise to bitterness.
[How could someone so ungrateful end up as Brother Sunyangja's disciple… Tsk, tsk. And then what did he do?]
[He stole the sacred artifacts of Dohwaseon and fled, declaring he would bring down the Imperial family.]
[How could he!]
The Hidden Power of the Imperial Family (2) >
At my words, Elder Biseon couldn't hide his shock.
If one were from Dohwaseon, that reaction was even more understandable.
Just mastering the Dao made one far stronger than most martial artists, and on top of that, to steal a beopgu—a mystical artifact considered beyond human power—and flee with it, was nothing short of catastrophic.
> [I understand now... why they made such a decision.]
> [Yes. Because the masters were bound by the oath, they passed their skills onto me instead.]
> [That makes perfect sense. To deal with a fallen Daoist who not only betrayed them but also escaped with the beopgu, you'd need to have mastered such techniques.]
> [Indeed.]
> [So... have you caught him?]
Judging by Elder Biseon's lack of understanding, it seemed Jakyungjeong hadn't approached during the current emperor's reign. Given that he was always on campaigns, it made sense that he spent little time in the palace.
So I began telling him what had happened outside the palace.
But as soon as I revealed that the current emperor was the same as the former emperor (Geumsangje), Elder Biseon reacted with incredulity.
> [So it was during that dog Jugolmyeong's rule, huh? Haa… no wonder chaos erupted.]
> [You know him well, I see.]
Of course he would.
As one of the secret guardians of the imperial family, Elder Biseon, too, had been an emperor—there was no way he wouldn't know.
With a face of exhaustion, Elder Biseon sent a telepathic message.
> [Know him? I've seen many royals, but never one as obsessive and extreme as him.]
> [Then you must also know what he truly desires.]
> [All emperors desire immortality, but none craved it as fiercely as him. If not for the Oath, he would've done anything to extract that secret from me.]
The Oath must have been tight with its conditions. Otherwise, the emperors would've done anything to uncover the secrets of the Yonghogumdan.
> [Besides that… are you aware that he's practically achieved immortality?]
At this, Elder Biseon frowned.
> [Immortality? What are you saying? Are you telling me that man is still alive?]
> [You didn't know?]
Elder Biseon hadn't known that Geumsangje was still alive.
That alone proved how meticulous the man had been—faking his death so thoroughly that even the secret guardian of the imperial family was fooled.
I briefly explained what had happened and what I suspected Geumsangje was planning.
> [Heavens… how could this be...]
Now realizing the seriousness of the situation, Elder Biseon's expression darkened.
Had the Prince Yeong—now addicted to Hwanmadok—seized the throne, no one could guess what horrors would have followed.
> [So that's why you helped the Prince Gyeong?]
> [Yes. Even if not for that, Prince Gyeong was fated to become emperor.]
> [Fated to become emperor?]
> [Even before I received Master Sunyangja's guidance, Prince Gyeong had already ascended to the throne on his own.]
> [Hmm...]
If one knew the secret of The 36 Celestial Sutras of Dohwaseon, they would understand what I meant.
I earnestly asked Elder Biseon:
> [There's no meaning in fighting while being watched by the emperor. Please help me take Mansashinui before that man acts.]
> [Hmm...]
Elder Biseon looked troubled.
> [To do that, you'd need to convince the emperor.]
> [Convince him?]
> [I protect the royal family, but I'm still bound by the Oath.]
> [If we just stop fighting, I'll persuade His Majesty.]
> [If he uses the Jeonmyeong Oksaeng, then I'll be forced to act against you, regardless of my will.]
> [What? What do you mean?]
> [If only you had officially entered the Dao as a disciple...]
> [What are you trying to say?]
I couldn't understand his words.
> [I'm bound to uphold the Oath through the Jeonmyeong Oksaeng beopgu. The only thing I can do... is deny that you're a disciple of Dohwaseon...]
Before he could finish—
From the entrance of the throne hall, I sensed numerous presences flooding in.
> 'This is…?'
Elder Biseon must've sensed it too. He stopped attacking me at the same time.
Using my energy, I manipulated the air to pull Prince Gyeong—who had been near the entrance—toward me.
> "Huh?"
He rose into the air and flew to where I stood.
> "Is the fight over?" he asked.
> "Something unexpected is happening."
—BOOM!
Before my words finished, the entrance of the throne hall burst open, and dozens of Geumuiwi guards stormed in, wielding weapons.
> "What? Why are the Geumuiwi... huh?"
Among them appeared a middle-aged official with a long beard, flanked by two women.
Both women were being held at swordpoint by the guards.
> "The Empress!"
> "Your Majesty!"
Both Prince Gyeong and the Emperor shouted at once.
The elegantly dressed older woman on the left must have been the Empress.
The woman on the right wore a simple outfit but was quite beautiful—I didn't recognize her.
At that moment, the Emperor leapt up from the throne, shouting:
> "Elder Biseon! Release the Empress at once—"
—CRASH!
Right then, two figures crashed down through the ceiling onto the throne platform.
> "Your Majesty!"
Elder Biseon tried to leap toward the throne, but he had to stop.
Through the dust swirling from the shattered ceiling, a figure with a single golden eye appeared—grabbing the Emperor by the back of the neck.
Not only that, but another man, his face fully wrapped in bandages, had subdued Mansashinui.
> '!!!'
As the dust settled, time seemed to slow.
Thick, short eyebrows. A face full of arrogance and confidence.
At last, I had come face to face with him.
> "Geumsangje!"